Commander’s Report 2023-2025
By Thomas Ong, Commander
It has been an exciting two-year term as Commander of American Legion Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post 1291. Among the highlights of my term as Commander, these include the activities related to the leadership of the Post’s activities, the Post’s operations and its direction. The support of the Senior Staff is monumental to the success of the Commander and I appreciate the efforts and skills each person utilizes in the execution of their position. The following are the highlights of my tour as Commander during the 2023 and 2025 Legion Years.
The NYC Landmark Preservation Commission granted Landmark Status in 2021 to our Lt. B.R. Kimlau Monument that was erected to memorialize and to honor the WWII Veterans of Chinese Descent. Under Adjutant Gabe Mui’s leadership and his previous position as the Chairman of the Chinatown Business Improvement District (Chinatown BID), we continue to work with the city to ensure that the monument remains structurally sound. The monument is scheduled to be relocated in the future pending the redesign of Kimlau Square. Built in 1962, the Lt. B.R. Kimlau Monument has a distinguished presence in our local building landscape. Many Veterans and American Legion ceremonies, marches, and parades are held here along with the Community to honor the contributions of Chinese-American Veterans. This is a continuous effort by the Post to ensure that we inspire the current and future generations of Chinese-Americans to provide service to our magnificent country and to honor those who made sacrifices and contributions in defense of freedom and democracy throughout the world.
On October 11, 2023, Pvt Wing O. Hom, US Army, was reinterred at Cyprus Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY. Pvt Hom was a NYC Chinatown resident who was killed in action (KIA) in Italy in February 1944 and was listed as missing in action (MIA) as his body was never identified until 2021 by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) using advanced DNA analysis. DPAA made the connection with Pvt Hom’s family via social media. Our Post provided the tribute with Chaplain Phil Eng presiding at Wah Wing Sang Funeral Parlor before sending Pvt Hom off to his final resting place at his family crypt. Full military honors were rendered by the US Army, with a Bugler for taps, a 21 gun salute, followed by the folding of the US Flag ceremony and the flag presentation to his family. This was a proud moment for Pvt Hom’s family and for the local Veterans and Chinese community to witness the burial of a former MIA. DPAA utilized the advance DNA analysis to identify another Chinese-American WWII veteran in September 2022 who was also declared Killed in Action in the European Theater on February 9, 1945 in Germany. Pvt Kwack K. Woo of Springfield, Massachusetts received full military honors and was buried on September 27, 2024 at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery. Our Post leadership made the trip to Springfield along with the Boston Chinatown Post and the Seattle Cathay Post to pay our final respects.
Our former Sons of American Legion Past Commander Corky Lee was honored on October 22, 2023 by the co-naming of Mosco St with Corky Lee Way. Corky Lee was a well-known Chinese-American photo journalist and his father Lee Yin Chuck, like mine, was a WWII Veteran who gave him a love for the Kimlau Post. Corky joined the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) and later became the SAL Squadron Commander of our Post from 2017-2018. He highlighted our Post in some of the professional photos he took with his Nikon cameras. Back in 2019, Corky organized and had a photo session for all of Chinatown to bring 8×10 portraits of their fathers who served in World War II to our Post and over 80 folks attended. This helped kick off our Post’s pursuit of recognition for Chinese-American World War II Veterans for their service. The Kimlau Post, Cathay Post and many other contributors (including retired generals and admirals) partnered with the effort led by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA) to highlight the contributions of 21,000 Chinese Americans during World War II. These efforts resulted in the “The Chinese-American-Veterans of World War II Congressional Medal” which was voted into law and signed by President Trump on Dec.20, 2018. Corky was involved in going to Congress along with many others to speak to Congressional delegations to help get the bill passed. After Corky Lee’s passing in February 2021, the Overseas Chinese-American Association (OCA), in recognition of the lifelong efforts of Corky fighting for Asian American justice, led the effort to co-name Mosco St with Corky Lee Way.
During the NYC Veteran’s Day Parade in 2023 and 2024, our Lt Kimlau Post Color Guard led the American Legion Department of New York Legionnaires march up 5th Avenue. Our Color Guard, include three flag bearers and two riflemen, proudly led the contingent of Department of New York Legionnaires, Sons of the Legion (SAL), the Auxiliary, plus many Legionaries from the metro area up 5th Ave from 23rd St. to 43rd St. The contingent from our Post and the Department of NY has been growing in participation to include many Legionnaires from New Jersey and Connecticut coming out to join us for the annual Veteran’s Day Parade, making our contingent larger.
We continue to host community events like the Scouting Arts and Crafts workshops to honor our Veterans. Cards and other crafts were created for our Post Veterans and for distribution to our local Veteran’s Hospital. In support of educating our younger citizens on Americanism, we have visited local elementary schools to hold demonstrations of flag folding and to describe the meaning of the 13 flag folds. We went to local middle schools around Veterans Day to be part of personalized Social Studies programs and interacted with small groups of students by answering their questions related to our military service.
Annually, the Kimlau Post and many other Posts in American Legion New York County participated in the Veterans Administration Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the Manhattan VA. The Kimlau Post Auxiliary knit items during the year and then distributes them during the program. The Legion New York County also makes a cash donation to the VA Hospital for its morale and social welfare program.
It has been two eventful years during my term as Commander. I applaud my Adjutant, Gabe Mui for his mentorship, the staff for their support, and the members of the Post for their contributions in providing service to our community.